April 23, 2016

For the Kinsey Sicks, politics is no drag

CNN:

There are four singing drag queens hoping to win the hearts of the American people and change the conversation around politics in 2016. They are the Kinsey Sicks,, "America's favorite dragapella beautyshop quartet."

The San Francisco-based group is currently touring the country with their political satire show, "Electile Dysfunction 2016." The act centers on the premise that the quartet (consisting of four Republicans with competing ideologies) is running for the GOP presidential nomination.

All four approach drag in different ways but for Schatz drag has always been political.

"My character in drag is very much a feminist statement," said Schatz. "I don't try to look pretty, I try to look ridiculous. People are always like, 'Oh your forgot to shave your chest.' It's like' I did not forget to shave my chest God made me this way.'"

Manabat, who is in charge of the group's glamorous wardrobe, was a part of the award-winning U.C. Berkeley's Men's Octet as an undergraduate student. He says his money-obsessed character Trixie couldn't be further from who he is in his daily life, but he doesn't judge her.

Being a part of the Kinsey Sicks, he said, is unlike anything he's ever done as an actor because his character continues even after the curtains fall.

"This show in particular -- we're coming off stage and we're still the characters and we get to communicate with people about the issues we're bringing up," said Manabat. "I'm able to be more open and challenge people on their views or even just communicate one-on-one about something that personally I'd feel uncomfortable talking about."